Mute for cornets and the like.



A. M. ELROD. MUTE FOR GORNETS AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED APB-2, 1912.

-PzMsexflzeul July 23, 1912.

ALLEN ELROLD, or CHICAGQ, rumors.

MUTE FOR CORNETS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 1912.

Application filed April 2, 191 2. Serial No. 688,076.

To all whom it may concern:

. Be it known that I, ALLEN M. ELnou, a citizen of j the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mutes for Cornets and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in mutesfor cornets and the like.

In the use of mutes of the type b eretot'ore generally used it has been impossible to use i a mute with any cornet Without changing the pitch of some of them, the mute sometimes making the instrument fiat and sometimes sharp, and furthermore a mute which could be used with one cornet and not change its pitch would when used in connection with another cornet change" the latters pitch.

The object of my invention is to produce a mute which willobviate these ditliculties by providing it with means by which the pitch of the cornet when the mute is used can be varied by adjusting a part of the mute. I

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in a mute provided with adjustable means, so that the pitch of a cornet or the like will not be changed when the mute is used with it. i

A further object of my invention'is to provide a mute having an open end adapted to project into the bell ofa cornet, and provided. with a tube the length of which can be adjusted so that the tube will extend different distances into the interior of the mute, in order that the pitch of the Cornet will be the same when used with the mute as it is when the mute is not used.

My inventioh further consists in certain combinations, constructions and arrangements of parts the preferred form of which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, and then the invention particularly pointed out ii the appended claims.

Referring to the drawing wherein the same part is designated bythe same reference numeral wherever it occurs, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the preferred. form of my mute; Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section of the bell of a cornet with my mute in position therein; Fig. 3 is a central longitudina-l section of the mute showingthe f tone-adjusting device in one position in. full lines, and in another position in dotted l nes, and Fig. 4. 1s a cross section taken on line 4, 4 of Fig. 8.

5 designates a bell end of the oornet'or other similar wind instrument with which;

a mute may be used.

6 designates the mute which is shown ash."

being substantially pear-shaped and hollow,

being open at its smaller end and closed at, 1-,

its larger or .ialb end. Prefera ly, andas; shown, themu'te is formed of a body of papier mach. or the like 7, covered by leather or similar material 8. The neck por- .tion of the mute is preferably provided I with a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs 9, adapted to engage the interior of the" bell to hold the mute in position, and to. provide a plurality of spaces between the ribs through'which the tone from the comet may escape.

Mounted in the open end of the mute is the tone-adjusting device, which comprises a tube so constructed that its length can be varied to vary the tone produced by the cornet when the mute is in position. In the form of my invention shown the adjustment of the length of the tube is'efiected b form:

ing the tube in two sections, one 0 which is movable into and dtit of the other section, so as to vary the'total length of the tube.

In the "form of my invention shown the tone-adjusting device is formed of a tube section 10, the outer edge 01. which is turned over the edge of the opening in the mute to finish the end of the mute. Adjustablymounted in the tube section 10 is the section 11, which can be moved to extend varying distances out ofthe inner end of the section 10, so as to increase or decrease the total length of the tuning device. In order to effect this adjustment- I have shown the section 10 as being interiorly threaded at its inner end portion only and the tube section ll exteriorly threaded for its entire length. 1y turning the tube section 11- the same can consequently be moved farther into or out p ot' the tube section 10, thus increasing or decreasing the length of the tuning device and consequently the distance that the tuning device extends into the mute. I have discovered that the shorter the tube extending into the mute is the higher will be the pitch of the cornet, or other wind instrument when the mute is in position in the bell thereof, and that the pitch of the instrument can be lowered by increasing .the ength of this tube to cause it to extend far- 5 ther into the interior of the mute, -which adjustment in the form of my invention illustratedis effected by turning the exteriorly threaded tube section 11 in a direction to cause it to move through the tube section 10 toward the bulb end of the mute.

Consequently it with the tube section 10 of the tone adjusting device in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3, it is found when the mute is placed in position in the l instrument with which it is to be used, that the mute .sharps the note, then by turning the tube section 11 in a direction to cause it to move toward the position indicated by dotted lines, the note will gradually be lowcred until the note is the same when sounded with the mute in position that it is when I sounded without the mute.

l. A mute comprising a hollow bodyadapted to be inserted into the bell of a r cornet or the like, said mute having its outer end closed and its inner end open, a tuning tube extending into the inner end of the mute, and means whereby the length of the tube may be adjusted.

2. A mute comprising a hollow body adapted to be inserted into the bell of a cor net or the like, said mute having its outer end closed and its inner end open, a tuning tube extending into the open end of the mute, said tube comprising two tube sections, one within the other, said inner section. being adjustably mounted within the outer section, and said outer section being secured to the inner'end of the mute with the 'tube projecting into the mute.

3. A mute comprising a hollow body adapted to be inserted into the bell of a cornet or the like, said mute having its outer end closed and its inner end open, a tuning tube comprising an inner section and an outer section, said inner section being screwthreaded on its exterior, said outer section having a screw thread at its lower end on its interior, whereby said inner section may be turned Within the outer section, so as to vary the length of the tuning tube, and the outer end 'of said outer section being secured within the open end of the mute, whereby said tuning tube will project into the mute and the length of the tube extending into the mute may be adjusted.

in presence of two witnesses.

ALLEN M. ELROD. W'itnesses:

EDWARD S. Rooms, MARGARET SI-IEALY.

In testimony whereofI affix my signature 

